One Man Dead in Depew Trailer Home Fire

DEPEW, N.Y. - Investigators are trying to determine what caused a deadly fire in a trailer home Friday night.

Firefighters and police got to the trailer home at 20 Cayuga Boulevard around 9 p.m on Friday. Neighbors say that the man seemed to collect many things from appliances to newspapers. And because of all his belongings, investigators say it was difficult for crews to reach the man.

Fire and smoke could be seen pouring out of the home as the fire grew.

"You could just see them they were as far as you could see them, it was pretty bad," said Julie Myers, who lives in the neighborhood.

It is completely destroyed now.

Filth surrounds the home, including garbage bags and boxes. Fire officials say Brian Swiniarski, who was in his early sixties, was killed.

It took crews five to six hours to put the fire out. Crews even tried to peel the walls off the trailer to get inside, but according to investigators piles of debris prevented them from getting there.

"Two of the assistant fire chiefs attempted to make entry in order to perform a rescue, but as they attempted to enter they came across a bunch of clutter, debris, old newspapers, and their access was hampered and they couldn't get in any further than their arms could reach," said Detective Scott Hossfeld of the Depew Police Department.

But when they finally were able to get inside, they found Swiniarski's body in the back of the trailer. Investigators are still unsure how the fire started, but they think it may've began from a furnace. Officials say it's likely the trailer will be demolished.

Depew Police say Swiniarski's family has been notified of his death and that a sibling in Rochester has been contacted.

Police don't believe any foul play was involved. An autopsy on Swiniarski will be completed on Monday.